Folding partition



Dec. 28 1926. 1,612,443

H. A. JOHNSON ET AL FOLDING PARTITION Fi led Sept. 26] 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v 7 I 5 mm Ajay/v50 f/kAn/c/s HTHEREDGE ORNEYb Dec. 28 192 1,612,443

H. A. JOHNSON ET AL FOLDING PART'ITION Filed Sept. 26, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS HOW/1RD A. JOHNSON fkAn/c/g f frHEREDGE I Pa tented Dec. 28,

u errEo stares PATENT. oFsF ICE-F HOWARD A. Jon-Neon. on NORFOLK, Ann FRANCIS 'r. iirnnnnnsn."oi? SOUTH NOR- FOLK, v'mGINImAssIe-Nons TO THE. J. G. WILSON coBrofnATIoN; or NEWXQRK,

N. Y., A CDRPOBATION OF VIRGINIA.-

romaine PARTITION.

Application filed September This invention relates'to' folding partitions or doors, running along tracks or guideways, or more particularly to a con-- struction for preventing; movement of the doors along the tracks when the doors'are 1n folded positions.

Large doorways and other openings are frequently provided with folding and sliding doors in the form of hinged sections,

each section being Composed of two panels or doors. The panels are usually provided with caster bolts and wheels orrollers which run in or on the tracks and permit thesections to slide across the doorway andeach of the doors to swing transversely of the tracks. As is well known to those skilled in the art; it is highly important that certain during the closing operationand eliminates danger ofjamming and breakage of the parts which often'occurs when the doors are not properly locked in position. I

It has been proposed in the .past-to provide the sections with'locking means which engage with projections or recesses in the floor or fieor track. The prior constructions have been open to various disadvantages. here projecting floorlpins have been used, these are frequently in the way and form dangerous obstacles. Other con- I structions havejbeen open to the .-:disadvantage that. I

- tions are folded or unfolded or that they fail? to operate properly when the tracks they tend to bind when the seccontain vertical irregularities.

It is the object of the present invention.

to improve the construction and mode." of.

operation of folding, partitions'and to avoid the disadvantages of dangerous projecting locking pins on'the fioor and Provide a locking mechanism which will operate at 'all times automatically to'lock thepanels posil. tively from movement along the track when v folded and is. substantially unaffected by irre rularities in the track.

" a-In carrying out the above object of the present invention. a feature of the invention consists in the provision of a locking device which is movably mounted on one of thedoors or panels of the partition and is caused to assume a substantially uniform vertical posi- 26, v1925. Serial iii'o. 58,747.

tion with relation-to thefixed stop which 1t-1s arranged to engage. With'this con-- struction,.relatively low fiat floor stops may beutilized without, danger of thezloeking means overriding the stops as often happens "in prior constructions, particularly when the ,track contains relatively large vertical irregularities. Other and further advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description of.

' a preferred form of .easter bolt construcpresent invention. It should be understood .thatjtbe detailed description is illustrative of one 'form of the invention onlyand that the construction isnot limited to the mechanical construction therein-set forth and that any equivalent means may be utilized tionwhich illustrates the features of the to carry out "the object of the invention as In will appear to those skilled inthe art.

The preferred embodiment of the invention w11l .be described more. particularly in connection with the accompanying 'draw I ings, in Which 7 Figure 1 is'a front elevation of a six 'panel'sliding door with the panels unfolded;

- Figure 2 is a horizontal section through a six panel door showing the panels folded;

Figure 3 is a vertical section at right angles tothe view in Figure 1, showing the caster bolt construction;

Figure 4 is 'a' vertical section at right angles to Figure y a Figure .5 is a longitudinal horizontal section of a partition showing one of the panels in unfolded position and the other panels in folded-position; w

, Figure 6 is a viewsiinilar to Figure 3 illustrating a modified construction;

'ilhstrating another modified construction; an v 'Figure 8 is a-view in horizontal section illustrating thejpositions of certain of the parts shown in :Figures 6 and 7 when the panel which carries the same is folded.

The folding partition illustrated in Figures' 1 and 2'is composed of three sections which are inlturn composed'of left and right hand panels 1 and 2 hinged together. The

' sections when unfolded are adapted to slide in. the upper. and lower tracks or guideways which are designated by the numerals 4 and 3 respectively. The rollers 5 run on the lower track and roller 6 which is parallel to the floor and revolves on the bolt 8Truns 1nv the upper track and. acts as a guide arollei" for the panels The'caster bolt 10; is provided with an axle pin 9, and'guide finger 'Z- and is mountedlloosely in the frame 15.for'

. vertical and rotative movement." The 618".

vation of the caster bolt is adjustablylimited by the abutment screw or bolt 11 engaging the upper endof the casterbol t'. The spring 12 acting on the caster bolt maintains the rollers in contactwith the lower track at all times. The locking finger or'bolt 13 is- 1 "slidably mounted in guides in the caster bolt frame so that it iscapable of vertical movements. 'The bolt passes through the upper arm 16 of the fingerwhich rides on a pin 17 passing'through' the bolt 10. -As a result,

the finger moves up and down-with the c aster bolt and the length of the downwardly extending arm of said finger is such that the finger at all times clears the track irrespective of irregularities in the level of the floor at 'a distance such that they are engaged tions are free to 'slidewith the exception of 8B.

the left hand section, the left hand panel of which is permanently anchoredby suitable pivots as is shown in Figure 5.. When it is desired to fold the panels, the left hand section is folded, as shown in Figure 5, and the .next section is slid along the track untilthe left hand lower end of the left hand panel passes the block 14 (see Figure 5), its" movement then being limited by its engagement with the panel of door 2 of the previously folded section. .The doors or panels ofthe latter section are then folded and the caster bolt frame mounted on the lower left-hand portion of door 1 turns with the door about the bolt 10, swinging the finger 13 in an arc until it engages with the block l i as is shown in Figure 5. In this position. the door" is locked against sliding'outwardly -or to the right, Figures 2 and 5, along the trackand when the section is unfolded,- the pull on'the door 2 which mightotherwise tend to cause door 1 to slide. along thetrack, merely unfolds the two doors, since the door 1 is Iocked against moving along rection of pull.

When; the section is completely unfolded as is shown at the extreme right of Figure 5,

the finger 13 swings clearof the locking block 14 and the unfolded section is free to slide along the track. a f

Itwill be seen that the improved caster the track in the 511-,

bolt of the pre'sentjriventioh provi'desauto matically for the locking of, one panel of .each section as soon as it isfolded and .does

not Unlock-them until they are completely or substantially completely unfolded. When .a stopwhich is vertically fixed on'the door its employed this stop will often be elevated, because .of vertical irregularities in the track" so. that it will ride over the 'stop 14. The locking finger of the present construction, however, is caused to: assume a predetermined substantially uniform vertical position' with relationto the corresponding stop plate 14, when moved into position toengage .this stop plate .regardlessof vertical irregularities in the track, the position of the finger being determined by the caster bolt Y and not'by the door. This enables the finger to be located sufficiently low to obviate any liability of "its riding over the stop plate. The-locking finger or bolt is at all times con.-

cealed within the door panel and rides on the pin' 17 which automatically-keeps the finger at the right height above the lower I traclrirrespective of irregularities in. the

track. The locking blocks 14 are low and 'flat andgdo not constitute dangerous pro jec't'ions in the floor. The locking'is" pure- 1 1y automatic, requiringno supervision or care and does not depend on dehcate mov lng parts' The contraction of the improved caster bolt mechanism is simple and rugged and the-door panels themselves effectively protect the locking finger from injury. In the construction embodied in the modified forms 'of the invention, shown in Fig- 'ures 6, 7; and 8, the locking devices are arranged tov lock the panels Z'against movement along the track ineither direction" when'jthe panels are in folded positions;

With the exception of the locking devices,

the" construction arrangement, of the various parts 'of the caster" bolt .mechanism 7 shown in these jfigures is the same. as the corresponding parts of the caster, bolt mechanism shown in Figures "1 to 5 inclusive and have been given the same reference numerals.- U V In the construction shown in; Figure 6, the locking devices comprise a iU-shaped member 16.1nounted to slide veptically in guides in'the frame 15' and have an openif ing through which the caster bolt 1() passes loosely. This locking member as clearly shown in Figure 6; is mounted in the frame below the lower cross piece 17 of said frame and'thecaster bolt is provided with an abutment 18 against which this .U-shaped member-{rests The U-shaped member is provided-with vertically extending fingers, 19

which engage in suitable guides in .the frame 15 and project downwardly to a point ad,- jacent to the floor track. This member mo've s vertically with the caster; bolt, it

being normally held in engagement with the .9 casters 5 engage.

W bolt 10, said member being hel abutment 18 by the action of gravity. The

finger 13 ot' the construction shown in Fig-- ures 1 to 5 inclusive. The inner finger of the locking member 16 which is nearer the.

center of the panel is-arranged to engage a locking block 20, as shown-in Figure'S when thepanel 1 is folded. 1 I

Thus with the construction shown in Figure 6, the panel 1 when folded will be locked 0 against movement in either direction-along the track by the engagement of the blocking I fingers 19 with the locking blocks. 14 and moves vertically with relation to thepanel with the caster bolt 10 and ope'ratesin gen eral in the same manner as and hasthe.

advantages of the construction shown in:

Figures 1 to 5 inclusive The construction shown in Figure 7 I is similar to the construction shown in Figure 6 except that the locking member is of dif fere'nt dimensions and is mounted ina somewhat diiferent manner. As shown in Fig are 7, the downward movement of the caster bolt is limited by a collar 20 sprung-into a groove in the bolt and arranged to engage the cross piece 20 of the tester bolt frame.

The caster bolt shown in Figureb is also.

preferably p device. a

i In the mechanism shown in Figure 7 the looking member indicated at. 2 1 is substantially U-shaped and is'mounted to slide-verrovided with a similar sto ticallyinframe 15. This locking niemberis.

provided [with vertically extending fingers 22' engaging in guideways in said frame I and extending downwardly to pointsrelatively' close to the track 'With which the I The locking member 21 v extends across the upper, end ofcaster bolt "10 and engages between thecaster bolt and abutment screw ;11 threaded into the frame.-

V The fingers 22 on looking member 21 are arranged to engage locking blocks 23 and 24 on the floor when the panel 1 is folded. The

engagement of the fingers 22 with these lock-.

ing blocks will lock the panel from'movement along the track in either direction in substantially the same manner as the panel is locked by the fingers 19' as shown in Figure 8.

The locking member 21 moves vertically with relation to the panel 2 with the caster,

d infcontact and arrangement of parts of the illustrated The locking member shown in Figure 6- upper end of the caster: bolt bythe action of gravity.

a It is to .be "'understoo is not limited to the particular construction.

embodiment of-the invention, but that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the claims.

. Having thus described our invention, .what we desire'to secure by United States Letters Patent and claim is 2' l 1 A construction for folding d OOI'S C0111- supportingthe door for sliding and swing; 111g; movement; afixed stop; a stopmovably mounted on the door for engaging said fixed- -door. when the door is foldeda'and means for caus ng the latter stop to assume a sub stantlally predetermined vertical pos tion d that the invention I y prising in combination a door, means for,

stop to limit the sliding movement of the with relation to said fixed stop when carried into position to engage the 'same' 24A; construction for folding partitions Comprising inflcombin'atiori a door,- means forsupportinggither door for 'sliding and mountedcfprvertical sliding movement on" gaged b the caster; and aobnnection beswinging movementfia fixed stopfa istop the door; a caster -a1soimounted-forvertical sl ding movement on the door; a track en? 1 tween't e caster LandQthe latter St:op' f01"3f -v causin'g said-stop to assume a substantially. I

predeterminedvertical position with rela= ti'on to said first ,stopwhen carried into Lon "position-to engage the same.

- SQ 'lf con'structiOn for to prising infcombin'ation a door, -means for supporting-the door for slidingandswing- 3 mounted on the dQOff'Ot engaging. said fixed;

ingimovement; a-fixed stop astop'movably I 1 stop to limit the sliding movement of "do r when the" door is folded; and adjust able means forlimiting the-movement of the 1 latter stop in one the door. Q4. A'con i prising'in combination-agui eway, a door mounted for'sliding and swinging movement along the guideway, a caster bolt frame securedfto the door, a ca-sterybolt rotatable ection relation to ,dir

a .1.1o struction fg'nffoldin doors, com- .and vertically movable inQsaid frame, a' lock-\ ing, finger mounted in saidframe, for lock the guideway when the door is iii folded.

j position; said locking finger being adapted torevolve with said frame about the bolt as apivot and being capable of vertical move the locking finger" to the caster bolt w" v 1 v, p

'. 5. A -constr'u' t-i'on 'fonfolding doors, com

. prising'in combination,'.a guideway, 'a' door mounted for sliding and swinging movement along said guideway j agoasterf bolt fawn.- ing a-pivot forth'e doorj, oneor' morecasters ing; the door-from, sliding movement along ment in the "fram and means top i o move 'vert'ically th v mounted on-said, bolt, a caster bolt frame mounted on the door and, rotatable on the bolt, a locking finger extending downwardly between the bolt and the outer edge" of the p 5 frame, for locking the, door from sliding .movement along the guideway when the door .,is in folded position, said fingerbeing slid-' ably mounted in theY-framc and capable of vertical movement, and means for main- '10 t aining the lower end of the finger at apre-' determined level with respect to the caster wheels. I a A L 6, construction for' folding doors, comprising in combination a guideway, a door 5' "mounted; for sliding and swinging move;

ment along said guideway, a caster bolt forminga pivot forthe door, one or more castei'jwheels mounted on said bolt,'a caster J 'bol't frame mounted on the door and rotat- 2 able on the bolt, an inverted L-shaped locking fingei 'for locking the door from s lid trigmovement along 'the guideway when the dooiy sin folded position, said finger being ;jou'rnaled' on the bolt and mounted. in the 2 n me so as to be capable of sliding movement, anda projection on the bolt engaging theupper end of the loeking'finger to main tainjj the end-of the locking finger at substantially a predetermined level with respects said bolts, means for adjusting thevertical movements of the caster bolts in the frames; 40 an inverted L shaped locking finger journalled on. one of the caster bolts and .,adaptcd to slide verticallg: in the correspond ing caster-bolt frame, t e downwardly extending arm ofthe finger being positioned between the-caster bolt and the'outeredgB of the frame; and aprojcction on the bolt engaging the upper arm of the locking finger and positioned so that the vertical arm of tlielocking finger is maintained at a 'predetermined level with respect to the" flo0r' tracks. v 8. A folding bination a ceiling track, agrooved floor track, hinged two-panel partition sections, a journal bolt mounted at the upper cuter corner of each of said panels, a bearing roller 3ournaled on each of sa d bolts, said bolts and rollers engaging in the ceiling track, a caster bolt frame niou'nted in' thelower outer corner of each of the panelsya Q casterbolt journaled in each ofsaidj frames and capable of limited vertical movements therein, 0118\01' more caster wheels mounted on each of said bolts, a guide on each of the' boltsengaging in the groove in the fioor ,65 track, an iaverted L-shaped locking finger journaled on one of th caster bolts of each section andmounted in the frame between the caster boltand the outer eagerot" the. 1 frame so as to permit vertical movement of the finger inv the frame, a projection on the caster bolt engaging with the upper arm' of the, locking finger and positioned so as to limit the downward movement of the downwardly extending arm"of,the finger with relation to the correspond- I ing caster wheel, and a raised block attached to the floor and adapted to engage with the said locking finger when the panel carrying said finger is swungout of a plane parallel 8 with the ceiling and' fioor tracks. Signed at South Norfolk, Norfolk, Va.,.

this 18th day of September, 1925.

' HOWARD. A. JOHNSON. FRANCIS T. ETHEREDGE partition" comprising in com- I 

